Dandy Brewing Company T2G IPA American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$4.99 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 19-Jul-2018, reviewed 21-Jul-2018)
Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, pale malt, citrus, floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)
And so Dandy jumps on the NE/IPA bandwagon. Sorta. Kinda. I mean, it doesn’t look much like juice (unfiltered apple juice, maybe), the leading note in the aroma is pine, and the bitterness, though not all that high, leans more to the traditional than the low, dry-hopped character of the newer style. Still, it’s probably the best of theirs I’ve had to date. I’m also happy to see them starting to use cans – and I just realized in expressing that how much my own attitude towards cans has changed: I think they’re now my preferred transport mechanism, at least for immediate-consumption-only / not-for-cellaring styles. You know, though, what I’d really like to see? DATES. Cans, bottles, whatever – just date the damn things, will ya? The only reason I know this is reasonably fresh is shelf monitoring: if a local brewery’s product that I haven’t seen before suddenly shows up at my preferred retailer, all of two blocks from their brewery, then, yeah, it’s probably fresh. (Probably hand-delivered by the brewer, actually.) Still, I’d like a packaging date. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
